Electromagnetic relays



DeC 15, 1959 z. R. SMITH 2,917,600

ELECTROMAGNETIC RELAYS Filed April 17, 195e INVENTOR.

zEKE R. sMHH e) BY United States Patent O 2,917,600 t ELECTROMAGNEHCRELAYs Application April 17, 1958, Serial No. 729,203 4 Claims. (Cl.200-87) This invention relates to electromagnetic relays and moreparticularly to a novel, highly simplified and extremely inexpensiverelay construction.

It has heretofore been proposed, in constructing electromagnetic relays,to form the frame and the core for the actuating coil as an integralunit stamped or blanked out from magnetic sheet metal. Insofar as I amaware, however, prior art workers have never been able to take fulladvantage of this procedure in producing a relay which will bedependable and satisfactory in operation and yet will involve anabsolute minimum of expense in manufacture.

An object of the present invention is to devise a simplified relayconstruction employing a one-piece frame and core unit blanked out frommagnetic sheet metal, with the remaining parts of the relay associatedwith such frame and core unit in a highly simplified fashion.

Another object is to provide, in combination in such a relay, a novelmeans for mounting the armature on the combination frame and core unit.

A further object is to provide a novel spring mounting arrangement forthe armature of such relays, wherein a single spring member constitutesthe armature mounting means and the movable contact means of the relay.

In order that the manner in which these and other objects areaccomplished in accordance with the invention can be readily understood,reference is had to the accompanying-drawings, which form a part of thisspecification, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a relay constructed in accordancewith one embodiment of the invention, illustrating the same inde-energized condition;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the relay of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating the relay inenergized condition;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the relay of Fig. l with a portion of thearmature and spring member broken away;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the relay taken substantially on line5--5, Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the combination frame and coremember of the relay of Figs. 1-5.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that theembodiment of the invention here illustrated comprises a combinationframe and core member indicated generally at 1, an armature 2, a springmember indicated generally at 3 and effective both to mount the armatureand provide the movable contact means of the relay, an actuating coil 4,an insulating member 5 and fixed contact pins 6 and 7.

As seen in Fig. 6, the member 1 is of generally E- shaped configuration,including a base portion 8, a core portion 9 and two frame arms 10 and11, the core portion 9 and arms 10 and 11 extending from base portion 8at right angles thereto, with arms 10 and 11 being parallel to coreportion 9 and spaced therefrom one on each side of the core portion.Since the member 1 is blanked out from sheet metal, it will beunderstood that portions 8-11 are all dat and all lie in the same plane.

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At its side opposite core portion 9, frame arm 10 is provided with alateral projection 12. At its tip, arm 10 includes two projections 13and 14 extending away from base 8.

Armature 2 is a at piece of magnetic sheet metal dis` posed across theends of portions 9-11 of member 1 and lying ina plane at right angles tothe plane defined by member 1. At one end, armature 2 is provided withan end notch 15, Fig. 5, and an aperture 16 spaced therefrom, the notch15 and aperture 16 being of such size and so disposed as to engage overthe projections 13 and 14, respectively, of frame arm 10.

The spring member 3 is a flat, thin, metal leaf spring comprising an endportion 17 extending along the outside edge of arm 10 and fixed thereto,in any suitable fashion, as by soldering. Portion 17 of spring 3 isprovided with a rectangular opening embracing lateral projection 12 onarm 10 and thus serving to position portion 17 with respect to arm 10.The other end portion 18 of spring 3 extends along the top or outersurface of armature 2 and is secured to the armature, as by being stakedthereto as indicated at 19, Fig. 4. The tip of portion 18 of spring 3 isbifurcated and projects beyond the corresponding end of armature 2, toprovide spring contact arms 20, 21. At its tip, arm 20 is provided witha downwardly directed contact portion 20, adapted to engage contact pin6. Similarly, the tip of arm 21 is provided with an upwardly directedcontact portion 21, adapted to engage contact pin 7.

Portions 17 and 18 of spring 3 are joined by an intermediate portion 22which constitutes resilient means tending to maintain the armature 2spaced from the end of core portion 9,as in Fig. l, but allowing thearmature to be shifted bodily toward core portion 9 and into contactwith the tip thereof, as in Fig. 3, in response to energization of coil4. As seen in Fig. 1, intermediate portion 22 of spring 3 extends fromportion 17 outwardly from arm 10, thence parallel to arm 10 to a rightangle bend, thence parallel to and spaced above armature 2, and thenceto the armature. Thus, the intermediate portion 22 of spring 3 can besaid to surround the end portion of armature 2 associated withprojections 13, 14, yet is spaced therefrom.

Insulating member 5 is in the form of a rectangular plate havingopenings through which extend two spaced, lateral projections 23, 24 onthe outside of the frame arm 11. The member 5 is secured in place bystaking the projections 23, 24 at the outerA surface of member 5.Contact pins 6, 7 extend through suitable holes in member 5 and arestaked or otherwise secured in place, so that portions of the pins 6 and7 project at one side of member 5 for engagement by contact portions 20,21B. The pins 6, 7 also project from the other side of member 5 to allowelectrical conductors to be connected to the contact pins. It will beunderstood that the third lead for the relay is soldered to the endportion 17 of spring 3 or to Athe frame 1 at any convenient point suchas the end of projection 24.

The actuating coil 4 is constructed in the usual fashion as acylindrical bobbin-wound coil and surrounds core portion 9, with one endof the coil being seated against base 8 of member 1. The coil is held inplace on core portion 9 by staking the tip of portion 9, as shown inFig. 5. The leads for coil 4 are connected to terminal pins 25 extendingthrough and secured to member 5.

Armature 2 is held centered with respect to member 1 and contact pins 6,7 by the engagement of notch 15 and aperture 16 with projections 13 and14, respectively. The notch and aperture are of such size as to allowsome clearance with respect to the projections, and the spring 3 servesto further retain the armature in place. The spring 3 has a normal shapesuch that the armature 2 is spaced from the tip of core 9, as seen inFig. 1. Upon energization of coil 4, intermediate portion 22 of thespring member 3 is distorted, allowing armature 2 to shift bodily, underthe magnetic force of attraction established by core 4 and member 1,thus carrying contact portion 20a into contact with fixed contact pm 6.The movement of armature 2, after contact portion.20 has engaged contactpin 6, is stopped by the engagement. of the armature with the tip offrame 11 and that portion of the tip of frame disposed lbetweenprojections 13,

What is claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic relay comprising an integral, flat frame and coremember of magnetic sheet metal and having a base, a core portionextending from said base and a pair of frame arms extending from saidbase each on a different side and spaced from said core portion; anactuating coil surrounding said core portion and disposed between saidframe arms; a at armature of magnetic sheet metal extending across theends of said core portion and said frame arms and disposed in a planesubstantially at right angles to the plane of said core and framemember; a spring member of angular configuration having one end portionextending along and secured to one of said frame arms and the other endportion extending along and secured tov said armature, an intermediateportion of said spring member being spaced from and extending along saidone frame arm and said armature and constituting a resilient support forsaid armature, whereby said armature can shift bodily toward said coresubstantially without pivoting when said coil is energized and is urgedresiliently away from said core when said coil is de-energized; aninsulating member secured to the other of said frame arms; fixed contactmeans mounted on said insulating member, and movable contact meanscarried by said armature and disposed to cooperate with said fixedcontact means.

2. A relay in accordance with claim 1 and wherein said armature isprovided with at least one opening, said one frame arm includes a tipportion of such size as to be accommodated by said opening, and saidspring member maintains said armature with said opening engaged oversaid tip portion, said tip portion being substantially longer than thethickness of said armature and joining said one frame arm at atransverse shoulder, said shoulder constituting stop means against whichsaid armature engages upon energization of said actuating coil.

3. A relay in accordance with claim 1 and wherein a,917,eoo

said other portion of said springA member extends -lfor major portionofthe length of said armature and projects therebeyond, the projectingpart of said' other. portion of said spring member being bifurcated toprovide legs' lying substantially i n the plane of said armature, saidfixed contact means including two contact elements spaced-apart bothin'thev direction of the plane of said frame and core member and in adirection transverse thereto, said two contact elements being disposedfor engagement each with a different leg of the bifurcated portion ofsaid spring member.

4. In -an electromagnetic relay, the combination of a core of magneticmaterial; a frame member extending beside said core; a flat armature ofmagnetic material extending across the 'adjacent ends of said core andframe member; a flat spring member having a portion secured to saidframe member, a second portion extending for a major portion of thelength of said armature and secured thereto, and an intermediate portionconstituting a resilient. support for said armature, said intermediateportion including arms disposed substantially at right angles to eachother and extending substantially parallel to but spaced from said framemember and said armature, respectively, said second portion of saidspring member having a bifurcated end projecting beyond said armature,the legs of said bifurcated end constituting spring contact elements; aninsulating member fixedly mounted at the side of said core opposite saidframe member; a pair of fixed contact elements secured to saidinsulating member and spaced apart both in a direction parallel to thelongitudinal axis of said core and a direction transversely thereto,said spring member supporting said armature in a position between saidfixed contact elements with each leg of the bifurcated end of saidspring member aligned with a diierent one of said contact elements; andan actuating coil surrounding said core, energization of said coilaffecting bodily shifting of said armature toward said core against theresilient biasing action of the intermediate portion of said springmember.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS629,645 Baynard July 25, 1899 2,212,830 Hickman et al Aug. 27, 19402,341,931 Lloyd Feb. 15, 1944 2,814,690 Zimmer Nov. 26, 1957

